Trump's hush money sentencing delay dismantles key campaign talking point: legal expert
The newly reported delay of former President Donald Trump's sentencing hearing in his criminal hush money trial could have a surprising effect on his campaign, one former assistant District Attorney says.
Kristen Gibbons Feden appeared on MSNBC Friday to discuss New York City Judge Juan Merchan's decision to push Trump's sentencing on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records until Nov. 26, weeks after Election Day on Nov. 5.
Gibbons Feden argued Merchan's decision would undercut a key talking point in Trump's presidential reelection campaign.
"It being after the election really helps to dis-convince, or go against Trump's narrative that the judiciary in this particular case was being politicized," she said.
"Placing it after the November election... allows Trump's narrative to be cut," said Gibbons Feden. "He cannot say that any type of decision made with regard to the sentencing is going to influence the election again because the sentencing decisions are going to be made afterwards."
Gibbons Feden noted Trump for months has targeted the family of the judge, claiming political ties interfered with his criminal trial, which concluded with a guilty verdict from 12 New York City jurors in May.
The former prosecutor also noted Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg had not pushed back on Trump's demands to delay sentencing until after Election Day.
"The prosecution wasn't opposing it and just requesting it be as expeditiously as possible, which it absolutely is," she said. "It allows him the opportunity to appeal and really seems to meet a middle ground and be an objective decision."
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This is one of four trials that Trump has faced since leaving office.
Trump was ultimately found guilty of falsifying business records to bury salacious stories about his relationship with adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
The former president pleaded not guilty and denied an affair with Daniels, who testified against him in court.
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